Sunday, June 27th

Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray
Double Dour Dirt Room
8 PM

Tuesday, June 29nd

Honest Engines
Abbey Pub
9 PM

Wednesday, June 30nd

Ami Saraiya
Double Door
8 PM

Saturday, July 3

Sometimes Family Band
Subterranean
9 PM
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Sunday, June 20th

Ty Maxon
Uncommon Ground on Clark
7 PM

Tuesday, June 22nd

In Tall Buildings
Subterranean
8 PM

Wednesday, June 22nd

Mingus Awareness Project
(Dan Godston)
benefit for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Jazz Showcase
8 PM
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This was the 10th installment of the Chris Darby Songwriter Nights at Phyllis' Musical Inn, in Chicago. It took place on June 9th, 2010.
This happened to fall on the same night that the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team won the Stanley Cup. The start time was pushed way back to accommodate that, and so the first 3 or sets were much noisier than these nights usually are. Things got quieter towards the end.
The lights were much lower than usual, and hence the videos are all pretty dark.
There is an audio recording of the show here













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Sunday, June 13th

Go Long Mule
Old Town Art Festival
12:30 PM

Monday, June 14th

Rob Reid, Willa Moore, and Tom Recht
songwriter circle
Silvies
8 PM

Friday, June 18th

Heather Styka
Loose Leaf Lounge
7 PM

Saturday, June 19th

Shelley Miller
Old Town School of Folk Music
7 PM

Gia Margaret
The Double Door
9 PM

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Sunday, June 6th

Rob Reid
Logan Square Farmers Market
11 AM

Wednesday, June 9th

Songwriter Night!
Ty Maxon, Andru Bemis, Ben Summers, Mckenzie Toma, Heather Styka, and Banjo Pat
Phyllis' Musical Inn
9 PM

Thursday, June 10th

Pezzettino
The Chopin Theatre
4 PM

The Sometimes Family
The Abbey Pub
10 PM

Friday, June 11th

Matt Crews
The Elbo Room
8 PM

Jessica Robbins
The Abbey Pub
9 PM

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Tuesday, June 1st

A Wu Li Conspiracy
Schubas
9 PM

Wednesday, June 2nd
Matt Crews and Raul Cotaquispe
Uncommon Ground on Clark
7:30 PM

Thursday, June 3rd

Honest Engines
Subterranean
9 PM

Saturday, June 5th

Ty Maxon
Tonic Room
7:30 PM

Stealth Like A Canoe
Town Hall Pub
9 PM

Singing In The Abbey
Happy Dog Art Gallery
9 PM

Them Damn Kids and Facing Winter
The Birds Nest
10 PM ShareThis

(photo credit: Ryan Monroe)

EP Hall was kind enough to send me a copy of her first full length album, entitled 'Mommy Crow'. I knew I would love it, because I was already a fan, after being introduced to her music sometime in 2006, and seeing her play at a very small house show in Bloomington, IN in early 2009. There is something really special in this music. Something which I have trouble describing in words, but nonetheless hits me right in the place it matters. There are things in her songs that leave me breathless and feeling that I've somehow stumbled into a place where time is forgotten, and the only thing that matters is the power of a whisper and the punch of a well delivered lyric line.
The album starts with the driving 'Emperors Note', which is the standout track of this recording. While the remainder of the album never quite reaches the emotional height delivered in that song, it nonetheless leads the listener through many twisting alleyways, through joy and pain and suffering, and all things in between. This is best listened to in it's entirety, as a complete piece.
'Would you rather carve your name in pavement or be the lonely ampersand curled up into a ball and reaching out before you fall out of the sentence.' This is a good example of the interesting nature of language used here. It seems familiar, but altogether new at the same time. That line is from the song 'Churchyard', which is my personal favorite track. EP is one of the strongest lyricists I have ever heard, and that just becomes more and more apparent with time.
This album is a gem, and should be heard by all. The copy I recieved was hand silk screened, and beautiful. If all albums were this well done, with as much thought put into the music, lyrics, and overall presentation, I believe that the album as a form of music would not be dying at such a rapid pace. But at the same time, it's albums like that this that give people the faith to keep listening.


One could find a copy of 'Mommy Crow' here
Find out more at www.ephall.com and www.myspace.com/ephallmusic

1. The Emperor's Note

2. Mommy Crow

3. Gone are the Thoughts of Sparrows

4. The Shade

5. Churchyard

6. (Go the Sun Down)

7. Water Tower

8. The White Bird, In Springtime, Will Find You

9. The Secrets Change, They Melt and Freeze

10. (Chase Scene Through the Silent Forest)

11. Ladders and Mirrors

12. Analysis of Variance

EP Hall is currently on tour, supporting the album. Listed below are the remainder of her US dates:

May 26 2010 8:30P	Historical Monument 157	Los Angeles, CA
May 27 2010 7:30P	Mike Barn	Isla Vista, CA
May 27 2010 10:00P	Live Radio Set on Santa Barbara’s infamous 5432...fun	Santa Barbara, CA
May 28 2010 8:00P	THE PURPLE DOOR	San Francisco, CA
May 29 2010 9:00P	BLUESIX	San Francisco, CA
Jun 2 2010 8:00P	ELLA ST. SOCIAL CLUB	Portland, OR
Jun 4 2010 8:00P	GRANDMA'S HOUSE	Olympia, WA
Jun 5 2010 8:00P	HOOT HOUSE	Seattle, WA
Jun 6 2010 8:30P	BOUQUET	Boise, ID
Jun 7 2010 8:00P	MUSE	Provo, Utah
Jun 8 2010 8:00P	Panthernaut Productions	Grand Junction,CO
Jun 9 2010 8:00P	MEADOWLARK	Denver, CO

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Sunday, May 23rd
John Bellows
Empty Bottle
9PM

Wednesday, May 26th
Them Damn Kids and Vaudeville Bandits (Matt Crews)
Silvies Lounge
9 PM

Thursday, May 27th
Singing In The Abbey
The Hideout
9 PM

Saturday, May 29th
Elusive Parallelograms
Beat Kitchen
10 PM ShareThis